Master's in Journalism
On-Campus Course Schedule for Spring 2026

Digital Essentials

This course examines the essential digital skills needed in the field of journalism today. We will study the current media landscape to help students understand how digital skills and sensibilities are integrated with reporting, content creation, information dissemination and audience building efforts at news organizations of all sizes. The course involves a survey of key issues affecting the day-to-day work of modern journalists, as well as an examination of emerging technologies, platforms and ideas. Case studies, readings, media surveillance and guest lectures will help students learn the core skills needed to broaden their career opportunities; to add to their fundamental reporting background; and to think entrepreneurially about how to shape journalism. The final project will consist of a semester-long, team-created digital project that implements the full range of skills covered in the course. Students will: • learn practical, effective and applicable digital skills • create and distribute original content • investigate how individuals build traditional or unique journalism careers • develop and debate ideas using a collaborative, interactive team approach • display learning in class discussions, writing assignments and the final project This course is required for all MPS Journalism students. In order to satisfy graduation requirements, students must earn a B (3.00) or higher. Any student who fails to do so must repeat the course.

Note: Foundation requirement for the Journalism Program. This course requires a grade of "B" or better.

Documentary Filmmaking

This course will give students the knowledge and skill they need to research, develop and shoot a short documentary film that tells compelling real-world stories with a clear vision and style. The course will cover all stages of documentary filmmaking, from developing an idea to identifying sources and writing a script to shooting, editing and distribution, emphasizing strong journalistic ethical standards and storytelling skills. Throughout the semester we will screen short documentaries of note and hear from industry guests about their professional experience and what inspires them.

Note: Students must have completed MPJO 508/5008 Photo and Video Storytelling.

Entrepreneurial Journalism

Most courses in the MPS Journalism program focus on the development of great content. This course focuses on the distribution and monetization of content. We will examine the core business concepts of the evolving media landscape to help students understand how to develop and evaluate entrepreneurial pursuits in journalism. Along the way, we will provide students with the ability to steer their careers toward opportunities with legitimate business potential. Case studies, readings, media surveillance, and guest lectures will help students take an entrepreneurial view of their careers, with particular emphasis on how to build an audience, distribute content, and monetize with smart business models. Journalists who understand these issues will be better positioned to make informed career decisions and to discern opportunities in a range of media-related industries-­whether they choose to pursue an entrepreneurial venture or not. The coursework involves abroad examination of issues affecting media careers, as well as a specific focus on a subject area of the student’s choosing. Students will learn - through reading, analysis, and experimentation – how to drive their own success or maximize their opportunities within a larger media company. The final project will consist of a detailed competitive analysis and formal business plan outlining audience, content, and monetization strategies (the target can be a new website or refining an existing one).

MPS Journalism Capstone

The Master of Professional Studies Journalism degree program culminates in the Capstone. Each student produces a substantive and original reporting project on a timely issue that showcases his/her talents as a prospective journalist. It should be a major work of professional quality that requires extensive legwork, interviewing and research and will become the centerpiece of your portfolio. The Capstone experience is intended to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate that they have the journalistic skills, ethics and initiative necessary to be a professional journalist. The Capstone project is an independent reporting endeavor. Class sessions provide feedback and structure. Group instructors will give you guidance throughout the semester, and your small groups will serve as mini-newsrooms where you will be expected to give each other feedback and support. Successful completion of the MPSJ degree also requires submitting an ethics essay that reflects on your firsthand experience as a journalist. The essay will be graded as one of the assignments in the Capstone class. This is a core course of the MPS Journalism program, and students must earn a “B” (83) or higher to pass the course. Please see the Graduate Student Handbook for more details. Students with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA who receive a final grade of a B- or below may receive one opportunity to retake the course, if approved by the dean.

Note: Registration requires department approval and a manual add by your Program Director. Students must have completed MPJO 500/5000 Ethics, MPJO 501/5001 Reporting, and News Writing, MPJO 505/5003 Digital Essentials, and MPJO 508/5008 Photo and Video Storytelling. This course must be taken in the student's final semester.

MPS Journalism Internship

Internships are a great way for students to gain real-world experiences and network with professionals in the field. Many employers require at least some internship experience to appear on a student’s resume. Taking on an internship while in the MPS Journalism program can help students integrate and enhance the skills they are learning in the classroom with professional, hands-on experiences. Students must participate in the internship according to the guidelines furnished by the employer, and they will be required to submit a weekly 500-word writing assignment reflecting on the successes and challenges of the internship. At the end of each semester, the student’s supervisor must complete an evaluation of the student’s performance, and submit it directly to the MPS Journalism program. ** Students must receive approval from the MPS Journalism program prior to enrolling in the Internship class.

Note: Requires approval of the MPS Journalism program and a manual add by the Program Advisor. This course is cross-listed with MPPR-7951-01 and MPMC 7951-01.

MPS Journalism Internship II

Internships are a great way for students to gain real-world experiences and network with professionals in the field. Many employers require at least some internship experience to appear on a student’s resume. Taking on an internship while in the MPS Journalism program can help students integrate and enhance the skills they are learning in the classroom with professional, hands-on experiences. Students must participate in the internship according to the guidelines furnished by the employer, and they will be required to submit a weekly 500-word writing assignment reflecting on the successes and challenges of the internship. At the end of each semester, the student’s supervisor must complete an evaluation of the student’s performance, and submit it directly to the MPS Journalism program. ** Students must receive approval from the MPS Journalism program prior to enrolling in the Internship class. Note: Extensive, documented academic activity and experiential learning outside of the classroom (min. 6-8 hours per week) is required.

Note: Registration requires department approval and a manual add by your Program Director. This course is cross-listed with MPPR-7952-01 and MPMC 7952-01. The prerequisite for this course is MPJO 7951 internship one class.

MPS Journalism Internship III

This one-credit course is designed to give credit for students doing an internship with an organization that requires them to receive credit. The internships should be substantive and have the goal of providing relevant industry experience, portfolio items or other professional work for students to use when looking for jobs. This course is also meant as a way to help support students who are doing internships. Students are expected to check in every week with the instructor about their experience so that the instructor can give guidance for the internship and for working within a professional organization.

Note: Registration requires department approval and a manual add by your Program Director. This course is cross-listed with MPPR-7953-01 and MPMC 7953-01. The prerequisites for this course are MPJO 860/7951 internship one and MPJO 861/7952 internship two.

Reporting and News Writing

Journalism begins with basic reporting. This class focuses on the basics of beat reporting, one of the building blocks of any newsroom and journalism career. The class will also take a closer look at the reporting and writing process, from finding an idea to researching it, pitching it and executing it into a publishable article. Students will strive to become experts on the neighborhood they cover through old-school shoe leather reporting and will keep abreast of spot news while learning how to identify and pursue longer-form enterprise stories. The class will also have a Twitter handle and Facebook page — DChoods — where students will publish routinely and practice writing for social media and cultivating sources and finding story ideas using these new tools. The updates on Twitter and Facebook will not just be news stories, but also tidbits collected during visits to the neighborhood, which should be visited weekly at minimum. This is a core course of the MPS Journalism program, and students must earn a “B” (83) or higher to pass the course. Please see the Graduate Student Handbook for more details.

Note: Foundation requirement for the Journalism Program. This course requires a grade of "B" or better. This course serves as a pre-requisite for many elective courses.

Sourcing & Interview Tech.

Journalists find sources and ask questions for a living. But how do you network to find the people you need for a story? How do you figure out what questions to ask and how to pose them? How do you stay in control of the conversation? This class will explore both how to find sources and how to interview them effectively. It will look at the art and the science of the interview, from tactics for securing your subjects' cooperation to strategies for getting the information you need from them. We will engage in hands-on exercises to hone these skills, hear tips from guest speakers, and analyze interviews to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Note: JO Students must have the prerequisite of MPJO 501/5001 Reporting and News Writing to enroll.